CERTIFIED NURSING
ASSISTANT PROGRAM
DC Students will take their
first step towards a future
in healthcare in 2019

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#PROUDTOBEDC

#DALLASCHRISTIANSCHOOL

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#PROUD TO BE DC is more than an expression.
It is more than a hashtag. It means COMMUNITY.
It means we CELEBRATE each other’s accomplishments.
It means DC is a place where students are ENCOURAGED
to be their BEST in everything that they do.
OK, it is also a HASHTAG.
#ONCEACHARGERALWAYSACHARGER

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
MAYBE YOU were like so many others
this year that received a very different
kind of Christmas gift. Instead of the
typical Christmas gift of gift cards,
pairs of socks, or a necktie, you might
have received one of the at home DNA
kits that is trending this year. The direct-to-consumer genomics companies
23andMe and Ancestry together boast
over 15 million members. What was too
expensive and way too time consuming just five years ago, sequencing a
person’s genome, can now be done for
under $100 and in just days.

DR. CHRIS KING

BEHAVIORAL GENETICIST Robert
PRESIDENT
Plomin,
in his 2018 book Blueprint:
DALLAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
How DNA Makes Us Who We Are,
provides not only an overview of the last
seventy-years of genetic science, but he also
helps to disentangle the nature versus nurture
“I AM REMINDED
argument surrounding so many relevant topics.
OF A MUCH MORE
Plomin provides the following chart showing
SIGNIFICANT
the percentages of heritability of a list of traits.
Some of these may surprise you. It is important
LINEAGE THAN
to note that “heritability”, as defined by PloA THIRD OR
min, “Describes how much of the differences
FOURTH COUSIN
between individuals can be explained by their
OR EVEN THE TRACE
inherited DNA differences.” (Plomin, pg. 5)

NEANDERTHAL DNA
THAT 23ANDME
CLAIMS I HAVE
DATING BACK SOME
500,000 YEARS,
THAT IS THE
SPIRITUAL LINEAGE
I HAVE TO CHRIST
AND WITH THOSE
WHO SHARE
HIS BLOOD DNA.”
- DR. CHRIS KING

FURTHER CLARIFICATION of the term “heritability”, these percentages are more probabilistic
than they are deterministic.
LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, I, too, was recreationally interested in my ancestry. I completed the
23andMe kit and discovered that my ancestry
roots are primarily British and Irish with some
French and German. I was also provided about
30 pages of names of individuals that share my
DNA. As I think about that list of individuals,
some 1,200 names and their geographic locations, the reality is while we share DNA and a
potential great, great, great, great grandparent,
apparently, we really have no significant lineage. I am reminded of a much more significant lineage than a third or fourth cousin. Or
even the trace Neanderthal DNA that 23andMe

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claims I have dating back some 500,000 years.
That is the spiritual lineage I have to Christ and
with those who share His blood DNA.
ACCORDING TO GALATIANS 3:26-29, For you
are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor
free man, and there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you
belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to his promise.
THIS IS PART OF THE GOSPEL message that
brings hope to those in despair, life to those
that feel lifeless, and eternal purpose to those
that are lost finding their sense of purpose in
our chaotic culture. It is the gospel message
that is the DNA of Dallas Christian school.
AS I REACH THE MIDWAY POINT of my seventh year as the president of Dallas Christian
school, I am more aware now more than ever
before of DC’s great DNA. Over my relatively
short span of time leading DC, compared to
the fifty-four years that precedes me, we have
seen a type of organizational and educational
agility necessary to continue to launch graduates to the best colleges and universities in the
country. Our agility has helped to transform
how our students express their faith and heart
for worship and service. We have added even
more Advanced Placement and college Dual-Credit course offerings in recent years.
WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT some of the best
Christian educators in our city that have a heart
and passion for students and education. DC is
leveraging some of the most recent technology available in our brand new Pre-Nursing
and Health Sciences Simulation Lab. We are
also more intentional in helping our younger
students develop the digital citizenship and responsibility necessary to navigate their digital
and virtual spaces. And, like the previous decades before, we continue to focus on a school
experience that is Christ-centered and nurturing for all of our students.
THE ADVANTAGES of being an institution that
has over sixty graduating classes in her history
are that we get to see and share in each graduates story. While there are too many individual
stories to recount here, we are, however, able to
describe a longitudinal narrative and trajectory
of what it looks like for a student to attend and
graduate from DC.

FIRST, A DC GRADUATE is well prepared for
their next stage in life. While we recognize that
not every student needs to attend higher education in order to realize God’s plan and vision for
their life, we are biased since the vast majority,
if not all, of our students get accepted and go
on to attend higher education. They do not just
matriculate into higher
education; they do very
well!

you. Kevin Mitchell, associate professor at the
Smurfit Institute of Genetics and the Institute
of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, reaffirms the significance of community as it relates
to our human development. He writes, in his
newly published book Innate: How the Wiring of
Our Brains Shapes Who We Are, “But we should
remember that the most
important thing in each
person’s environment is
other people. Those are
ones we can cooperate
or compete with, those
are the threats that pose
the most dangers and the
sources of the most relevant opportunities. That
means that the optimal
profile of behavioral parameters for any individual depends on the profiles
of everyone else around
that person.” (Mitchell,
- DR. CHRIS KING
2018,pg. 260)

“OUR DC
DESCENDANTS
ARE MAKING
A DIFFERENCE
IN THE WORLD
FOR THE KINGDOM
OF GOD.”

SECOND, A DC GRADUATE demonstrates lifelong learning habits and
ambitions. The list is too
long to cite here of the
scores of DC graduates
that have gone on to
earn graduate and even
post-graduate level degrees (doctoral). We are
proud of our alumni that
have not only left their
mark on DC but have also
made significant contributions in their pursuits upon leaving DC.

THIRD, A DC GRADUATE has a well-developed
view of God’s world and their particular role in
God’s creation. We are not so gullible to think
that every single graduate of DC goes on to pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ. If that were
the case, our claim would be that DC is the VERY
BEST Christian school in the country. Guaranteeing parents that our school experience always
translates into individuals of faith and commitment to Jesus. But just as you have already surmised, a person’s spiritual formation and growth
is a byproduct of many different factors some
of which derive away from their time at school.
With that in mind, we do celebrate the scores of
graduates that go on to a mature relationship
with Jesus as evidenced by their active involvement in their local churches, the mission work
they pursue, the ways they represent their faith
in their place of work, and the legacy of faith
they are establishing with their own families.
WE ARE UNASHAMED of our desire to be a
different type of school with a different type of
DNA than others in our city. For that reason,
we realize that not every family or student will
desire to share our cultural expectations, values, and spiritual DNA with Christ. But, if you
are looking for a K5-12 Christian school where
your child will be loved, nurtured, spiritually
equipped, and surrounded by others that share
our spiritual convictions, than DC is the place for

WHILE MITCHELL is specifically thinking
about human development, his point is well
made as it also relates to spiritual development. Dallas Christian school is different because your child will have a much larger probability that he or she will be surrounded by
disproportionately more students that share
their desire to grow in wisdom, stature, and
favor with God and man (Luke 2:52) than they
would in their local school district.

“DALLAS
CHRISTIAN
SCHOOL
IS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE
YOUR CHILD
WILL HAVE
A MUCH LARGER
PROBABILITY THAT
HE OR SHE WILL
BE SURROUNDED BY
DISPROPORTIONATELY
MORE STUDENTS
THAT ALSO DESIRE TO
GROW IN WISDOM,
STATURE, AND
FAVOR WITH GOD
AND MAN (LUKE 2:52)
AS THEY DO THAN THEY
WOULD IN
THEIR LOCAL
SCHOOL DISTRICT.”
- DR. CHRIS KING

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED in giving your student
the best possible environment to navigate a
spiritually blind world and culture while also setting him/her up to daily encounter like-minded
Christian peers and teachers, then give us a call
today. We have been doing college preparatory Christian education for over 60 years. Our
DC descendants are making a difference in our
world for the Kingdom of God. We invite you to
become part of our family tree.
WE ARE CURRENTLY doing open enrollment
for the 2019-2020 school year.
Sincerely,

BIG BLUE, the new school store, opened at
the back to school pep rally in August. Dallas
Christian families have been thrilled to have
easy access to DC spirit wear right on our
campus. Big Blue has been a huge success and
plans are underway to expand the store for the
2019-2020 school year. Big Blue is currently
located by the high school auditorium and is
open daily.
Please contact bigblue@dallaschristian.com
with any questions or come visit the store.

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Look GREAT
while CHEERING
our CHARGERS

CHARGERS
in the COLD
Staying WARM

Items at the Big Blue Store are
changing constantly. Stop by
often to pick up the latest hot
Charger game shirt or just to say
hello. We love our Chargers!

Stop by Big Blue just before you
head out to watch the Chargers
play soccer on Wheeler Field this
winter. We promise our Charger
beanie will keep your head toasty
warm while you cheer on your
favorite players!

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MARISSA PERRY IS OUR NEW
MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT and was featured
this fall in the Rowlett Lakeshore
Times newspaper. Mrs. Perry
owns a cheer gym in Rowlett
called Sideline Sports, a gym that
specializes in coaching young
cheerleaders. She established in 2010.
We are proud of the success her gym has had
and how it serves our local community. Sideline
Sports is a gym that specializes in coaching young
cheerleaders. Marissa is a Chicago native. She moved to Rowlett in
2002 and was a high school and collegiate National Cheerleaders
Association (NCA) All American. She attended East Texas State
University and has worked camps throughout Texas as a NCA staffer.
LINK TO FULL STORY: https://starlocalmedia.com/rowlettlakeshoretimes/news/the-art-of-cheer-tumbling-formercheerleader-shares-her-passion/article_a47a7790-9f5e-11e8-90d4-6f1c7851f018.html

DALLAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL has committed to partnering
with the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning as a
participant in the Science of Teaching and School Leadership
Academy, which is being co-designed with individual faculty
from Research Schools International (led by faculty at Harvardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Graduate School of Education) and the Science of Learning
Institute at Johns Hopkins University. The Academy invited
a select number of public, public-charter, and independent
schools to explore how Mind, Brain, Education science can
enhance teacher quality and student achievement. Dallas
Christian School sent four participants to the Academy this
summer. They joined 150 educators from five countries and 20
states in this deep dive into Mind, Brain, Education science.
As part of the Academy partnership, 100% of Dallas Christian
School teachers will complete a snapshot survey to assess their
current Mind, Brain, Education knowledge, skills, & mindsets.
The Academy has attracted an international faculty, who have
authored books such as Make it Stick, The Teaching Brain,
Urban Myths About Learning and Education and Neuroteach.

Melanie King, Courtney Pine, and Kristen Martin represented DC at Science of Learning Institute at Johns
Hopkins University. While there, they took a break from
learning to take DC alum, Palmer Nix, to dinner .
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HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR RETREAT: Every
summer the senior class has the
opportunity to go on a senior
retreat. Although this years
retreat was a rainy one, the
class was still able to hold team
competitions, have devotionals, play games and hear from
guest speakers who prayed
over their upcoming year and
their future. It was a bonding
opportunity for this already
close-knit class and a great way
to start off their senior year.
MCFARLAND USA: On October
19th, DC welcomed Thomas Valles,
a former student-athlete from
McFarland High School’s first state
championship cross country team
that the 2015 Disney movie was
based on. He spoke to our middle
and high school students in chapel
and shared his story about work
ethic, attitude, perseverance &
how God has been a big part of his story. Ernie Bueno, one of the DC Cross
Country coaches arranged the visit and invited cross country teams from
local public and private schools to the event.

SR/FIRST GRADERS:
This fall the senior class
of 2019 continued the
long-standing tradition
of adopting a first-grade
buddy. The seniors and
first graders look forward
to activities throughout
the year and the special bond that they will
develop.
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DC LIFERS: Every year we have to say
“good-bye” to a group of seniors who have
been at DC since first grade. We hope they
will always remember our motto, “Once a
Charger, Always a Charger!”

CNA/ SIM LAB: Beginning in the fall
of 2019, DC will be the only private
school in Texas to offer a Certified
Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) program
for their students. This program will
introduce our high school students to
the medical field before college and
will position our graduates to go into
nursing or pre-med programs more
prepared. The school has a complete
simulation lab including needed
equipment for the program including
hospital beds, a lab, and two state of
the art human patient simulators.

Missy Jedlicka, RN, MSN is ready for her first class.

DC’s new simulation lab is ready for the first class in the fall of 2019.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL

MS students learn locker combinations
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MS Class

MS HIGHLIGHTS
Every year our middle school students spend a day in the fall serving
at local non-profits.
The grade levels served at the following locations:
6th: Life Message
7th: Our Calling
8th: Cornerstone

MS Service Day

MS Service Day

MS Pep Rally

MS Class

MS Bible class with Coach Tinsley

MS Pep Rally

MRS. JULIE FLANAGAN INSPIRES MS STUDENTS IN HER ENGLISH CLASSES.

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ELEMENTARY

Cup stacking in PE

First day of school

First day of school

First day of school

3rd grade trip to Dallas Heritage Village

Dallas Heritage Village

Diorama tradition continues

Lower school chapel

Dallas Heritage Village

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Walking to chapel

4th grade trip to Austin

4th grade trip to Austin

Walking to chapel

Lower school chapel

“I pledge allegiance ...”

Mrs. Pine welcomes students on the first day of school.

An ECLC visit from the Mequite fire department

Proud of his work in the ECLC

Hanging on the playground

First day of school in the ECLC

Pumpkin patch visit

Time for friends on the playground

A little lizard playtime

Learning board game strategy
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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Chapel prayer

Lower School Chapel

CHAPEL TIME IS HOLY GROUND in the Lower School. The
ECLC students meet on Mondays and Wednesday in the cafeteria to worship God and study His Word together. The classes take turns leading chapel for each other. The Elementary
students meet on Tuesday and Thursday in their upstairs chapel
meeting space. The students also take on leadership roles,
bringing the message to their fellow students and worshiping
together. On the days the large groups do not meet together,
each individual class has a time of prayer and worship in their
classrooms. On these four days, the teachers follow a chapel
curriculum entitled “Kids Own Worship.” It covers both Old and
New Testaments, always bringing the message of God’s love
and Jesus’s sacrifice to the students. During this time, we also
study the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” as they relate
to children and success in academic and personal areas. On
Fridays, the entire lower school meets together in the Charger
gym for a time of worship led by Mrs. Tama Barnes. It is a joyous time filled with acapella singing and reading of scripture.
We always welcome visitors to join us in chapel.
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Lower School Chapel

Lower School Chapel

Teaching the Ten Commandments

CAMPUS MINISTRY

Spiritual retreat

2018-2019 Campus Ministry Team
Spiritual Emphasis Day

HS Service Day

See you at the pole prayer

Spiritual Emphasis Day

HS Service Day

Spiritual Emphasis Day

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
APPLY TO BE ON THE CAMPUS MINISTRY TEAM THIS YEAR.
Some of the things they have done this year include:
• Help new students get introduced to DC at the beginning
of the school year.
• Plan the HS spiritual retreat and the spiritual emphasis day.
• Help organize and lead Elementary Chapel at throughout
the year.
• Organize and deliver notes to students and staff Poetry
Christian School.
• Organize note writing to encourage teachers and students.

Spiritual Emphasis Day

ATEIKU, GHANA - WEST AFRICA

Ateiku Christian School

Water well near Ateiku, Ghana sponsored by IES Residential

A team of 29 students and adults
traveled to West Africa for a ten day
service mission trip. DC has nurtured
a relationship with the small village of
Ateiku since 2007. The team volunteers in a village hospital, teaches Sunday School, assists at the local school
and digs water wells. The 2018 team
raised enough money to dig a record
of six water wells. A team of students,
faculty and alumni are looking forward
to returning to Ateiku in May.

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FINE ARTS

FALL PLAY: Peter and the Starcatcher
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
about the fantastical origin of Peter
Pan and his cohorts. If you were
unable to attend one of these soldout performances you missed nonstop, well timed and keenly executed
scene changes with satirical quips and
tear-jerking dialogue.

So long, farewell Auf Wiedersehen, adieu (Fredrick) Adieu, adieu To you and you and you.

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LAST SPRINGS MUSICAL, The Sound
of Music, was a huge hit. The audience
loved the familiar, heartwarming story
of the Von Trapp Family. Chandler
Crain played the role of Maria, the tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey
who becomes a governess in the home
of a widowed naval captain, played by
Luke Clevenger, with seven children,
and brings a new love of life and music
into the home.

The one-act play by James L. Bray. This dramatic production was set in
early Salem featuring the emotional and spiritual testing and ultimate
triumph of a young woman’s faith in God. As a result of their diligence
and dedication, several of our students were recently recognized for their
performances at the annual TAAPS competition.
AWARDS FOR TAPPS ONE ACT PLAY COMPETITION IN OCTOBER
ALL STAR CAST: Amy Langford & MaryCate Losher
HONORABLE MENTION CAST: Melanie Barnes
ALL STAR CREW: Abbie Miller for Costumes & Makeup

Thank you for your continued support
of the programs that develop, enrich,
inspire and entertain with the intent
of showcasing the talents gifted by
our Father and Creator.
Stay tuned for more from our
Fine Arts program at Dallas Christian!

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GRANDPARENT’S DAY

LET THE WORLD REJOICE
Three generations at Grandparents Day

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ART
Guitar students Christmas recital

Learning to play a ukulele

Lower school Christmas program

Northpark Center performance

Dance recital

HS art students
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SPECIAL EVENTS

A special thank you to

MILESTONE ELECTRIC
for being our title sponsor of the
2019 Charger Classic Golf tournament.
The annual tournament was moved to the fall this year so more alumni could
participate in the tournament the weekend of homecoming.

Members of the DC Golf Team participated in the tournament.
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Dr. Chris King and Homecoming Queen Maddy Burkham

Freshmen maids & escorts

Senior maids & escorts

Junior maids and escorts

Sophomore maids & escorts

Middle School maids & escorts

Homecoming King Gabriel Knapp

HOCO dress up day

HOCO parade

HOCO dress up day

HOCO dress up day

HOCO mums

HOCO parade
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DC ATHLETICS

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Dallas Christian Chargers

VARSITY CHEER

JV CHEER

8TH GRADE
CHEER
Athletic
Trainers
2018-19

6TH GRADE CHEER

ATHLETIC TRAINERS

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

JV VOLLEYBALL

8TH GRADE VOLLEYBALL

7TH GRADE VOLLEYBALL

8TH GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL

7TH GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL

8TH GRADE GIRLS BASKETBALL

7TH GRADE GIRLS BASKETBALL

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

BOYS JV BASKETBALL

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL

BOYS FRESHMEN BASKETBALL

VARSITY FISHING

VARSITY GOLF

VARSITY WRESTLING

MS WRESTLING
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Varsity wrestling

Cross country

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Girls varsity soccer

Girls varsity basketball

Athletic trainers

Boys varsity soccer

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JINGLE MINGLE

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From the DC
Lower School

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ALUMNI UPDATES
WE ARE SO PROUD OF 2014 DALLAS CHRISTIAN
GRADUATE MADISON LOSHER FOR DONATING
HER BONE MARROW TO SAVE A YOUNG GIRL’S LIFE.
In the fall of 2015, DC student Hudson Wade was diagnosed
with Leukemia at the age of 11. As his condition progressed,
Abilene Christian University, where Madison was a student, hosted a bone marrow drive with DKMS, a nonprofit
group that assists in finding bone marrow donors for stem
cell transplantation. Madison Losher, was a close friend of
Hudson Wade and his family. During his battle with Leukemia, Losher attended the bone marrow drive in hopes that
she would be a match and her information was stored in a
national registry.
Madison received a call in July of 2018, four years after the
bone marrow drive, from DKMS informing her that she was
a potential match for an infant girl in need of a bone marrow
transplant. Throughout August and September, she had
multiple appointments and underwent many blood tests.
It was determined that Madison was the top match for the
infant and in September she traveled to Washington D.C.
to undergo surgery. After a short recovery, Madison is now
healed and is continuing her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. “It may take two weeks of slowing your pace
of life after surgery in place of giving life to someone,” said
Losher. “I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Losher said she
hopes others will take any opportunity to at least consider
donating. “Being a donor has truly changed my mindset
on how I view my body,” said Losher. “The Lord has made it
extremely clear to me that my body is not my own, it is his.”
Madison has continually used her life to bless others and we
are thankful to claim her as our own.

CATCHING UP WITH
CLASSMATES: Members of
the class of 1977 enjoyed
the reunion they held at DC
during homecoming.

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Madison gives a “thumbsup” prior to her surgery.

FUTURE BAYLOR GRADS:
These 2016 DC grads are all doing well at
Baylor University. They went from Chargers to Bears and now to Alpha Tau Omega
fraternity brothers. Pictured left to right:
Blake Arnold, John Scott Wilburn, Colton
Walker and Thomas Watson.

ATTENTION:

DC ALUMNI

These recent DC graduates are still connected at OSU!

Please send us your updates!
alumni@dallaschristian.com

SENIOR/FIRST GRADER CONNECTIONS
BREEDEN/WEBB: The senior/first grader
connection is a lasting one for some.
Justin Webb is a current DC junior.
When he was in first grade he made a
deep connection with his senior, Peter
Breeden. After ten years the two are still
in contact. They are both Eagle Scout
recipients and have recently spent time
together with Peter teaching Justin how
to fly fish.
We would love to hear more stories about
Senior/First Grader Connections at:
alumni@dallaschristian.com